Where the Thistle Grows: Pict by Time - Book One

 2023
Scotland is a land of lore and legend, but archeologist Caitriona Murray prefers physical evidence to ancient tales. Joining a major excavation off the northern Scotland coast, Caitriona cannot wait to discover a cave’s buried secrets. Because of reoccurring dreams of an ancient man’s death, she is convinced that a Pictish king is buried within those cave walls. But soon, Cait discovers more secrets in that cave than just bones.

Finding herself face to face with the man who haunts her dreams, Cait is thrown into the lost world she’d spent her entire life studying and is faced with an undeniable reality: she has traveled back in time, this king believes she is his bride, and Cait isn’t sure she will ever make it back home.

Danger threatens from every direction, but falling in love with a man destined to die brutally in battle may be her greatest downfall.

685 AD

King Brodyn Mac Cuill is determined to keep his people safe, even if it means marrying a strange woman from a rival tribe. An alliance is his only chance at gathering an army large enough to defeat their southern enemies, the Angles, who challenge him daily.

When his bride arrives, she is confused and resistant to marriage. She isn’t the bride he’d hoped for, but lives are at stake. His new bride confuses him with her strange behavior, yet he finds her fascinating and irresistible. When danger follows in her wake, Brodyn must question her loyalties and everything he ever knew.

Their connection is undeniable, but can he trust his bride, who claims to be from the future, or is she a trap sent by his enemy? 

 2023

Growing up an orphan, the only family Emilie Wilshire ever had was her best friend, Caitriona. But ever since Cait fell through the veil of time, Emilie’s attempts to follow have fallen flat. The same cave that pulled her friend through rejects Emilie every time. Now she’ll never see Cait again or meet her son, Lucas. Living alone in a small flat in the heart of Edinburgh, Emilie works as a tour guide and spends her nights researching her geology, making a fascinating discovery: she is a descendant of Caitriona’s son.

After leading a tour of Edinburgh’s haunted underground vaults, a terrifying encounter leaves Emilie with a head injury. When she awakens, she finds herself in another place and time — Cait’s time. However, Emilie’s reunion with Cait is compromised when she discovers why she was sent back in time: Lucas is in danger, and only Emilie can save him. If she fails, her entire family line disappears—including herself.

686 AD

Goodwin Mac Dougal has long been satisfied with his life as a warrior, guard to the royal family, best friend to the king, and casual relationships with women. But ever since King Brodyn fell in love with a woman from the future, Goodwin has been restless, seeking more from life than fighting enemies and meaningless encounters with women. But in this wee village, no lass strikes his fancy.

When a strange woman arrives, bound and slung across another warrior’s horse, Goodwin is immediately drawn to this mysterious woman—and he knows that wherever she is from, it is not the year 686. She claims to know Queen Caitriona, and Goodwin recognizes her odd ways. Emilie, a beauty unlike any other, is from the future.

Though she has a bonny face, her arrival means danger looms. When he’s tasked with guarding her, Goodwin must also guard his heart, for she will return hosame cave that pulled her friend through rejects Emilie every time. Now she’ll never see Cait again or meet her son, Lucas. Living alone in a small flat in the heart of Edinburgh, Emilie works as a tour guide and spends her nights researching her geology, making a fascinating discovery: she is a descendant of Caitriona’s son.